Story 2025/11/18
Hybrid healthcare services – a key element of tomorrow’s healthcare
What will healthcare look like in the future? This question is of concern not only to the Federal Council as part of its “Health2030” strategy, but also to universities, health insurers – and us as the leading network in the Swiss healthcare market.
The answers are diverse and shaped by numerous trends. But one thing is clear: Digital healthcare services are becoming increasingly important – whether in pharmacies, in the home care sector, in prevention or in therapy support.
Our belief: Pharmacies remain essential
Galenica is convinced: Pharmacies will continue to play a key role in the health of the population in the future – both in staying healthy and becoming healthy as well as in dealing with illness as best as possible. Digital solutions cannot replace personal contact, but they can complement and support it in a meaningful way. This results in a forward-looking approach: Hybrid healthcare solutions that combine efficiency with empathy.
Practical examples: hybrid care in our pharmacies
We are already focusing on specific hybrid solutions in our more than 380 pharmacies. We have already tested some of them for some time and have now widely implemented them.
Here is an overview of the solutions we offer and use.
- Online appointment booking: e.g. for vaccinations or acute health problems – book digitally, carry out on site. We offer this service via our websites and with our cooperation partner OneDoc.
- Prescription Manager: A digital assistant that can be used to digitally manage repeat prescriptions and reorder medications throughout Switzerland.
- E-prescription: Created and signed electronically by doctors and can be redeemed directly in all our pharmacies.
- E-medication: Digital medication plans and therapy support
- Book a Doc: Medical consultation directly in the pharmacy in the event of acute symptoms – with issuance of a prescription if necessary, and the patient receives the right medication immediately and, if possible, on a case-by-case basis.
- Digital platforms: Galenica is active on the Well, Compassana and Benecura Public healthcare platforms, for example with a pharmacy finder, our Consultation plus services, the digital vaccination check with Medi24 or a symptom checker.
- Pilot project with Hemalytix: A comprehensive health check that combines an online questionnaire and measurement as well as in-pharmacy consultation.
We are also happy to share our insights into the functionality and challenges of hybrid solutions with others – for example with a guest article in the recently published Digital Health Report of the ZHAW, on page 46.
The examples listed above show: Future-proof, patient-centric solutions often arise where different players within a system work together. We want to position ourselves as an active network designer in the Swiss healthcare sector and promote dialogue – including with external partners from research, digital health start-ups, insurance companies and investors. We contribute our expertise, provide impetus for the further development of healthcare and strengthen the role of pharmacies as a central point of contact for the population.
Hybrid solutions in focus at an event
In autumn 2025, we held a second joint event with Swiss Healthcare Startups (SHS) at the Stapferhaus in Lenzburg entitled: “Hybrid healthcare solutions: How people and digital health come together”.
Around 100 professionals from the Swiss healthcare sector – including representatives of health insurance companies, hospitals, telemedicine providers, pharmacies, associations, universities and start-ups – discussed the opportunities and challenges of hybrid approaches.
In her keynote speech, digital health and innovation expert Inga Bergen impressively demonstrated how crucial it is to strengthen the networking of all players in the healthcare sector – and how profoundly the AI age will change the industry.
In conversation, she explained to us how important it is to distinguish between empathy and genuine trust-building.
Key takeaways from the event
Technological innovations such as AI, digital platforms and telemedicine can meaningfully complement and strengthen human, patient-oriented care. They create new opportunities, combine efficiency with proximity and put the patient at the centre.
Galenica is playing an active role in shaping this development and is a valued and competent partner for other players in the healthcare sector – whether digital solution providers or health insurers.
Together, we are shaping healthcare that already works for tomorrow, today.
The Stapferhaus – a place for dialogue:
For over a year now, the Stapferhaus in Lenzburg has been an ideal place for us to conduct and promote dialogue. Galenica has a project partnership with the Stapferhaus for its current exhibition “Health first. An Exhibition with Side Effects”. The exhibition will run until June 2026 and offers space for discussion about visions of the future and invites visitors to contribute their thoughts.
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